The Clausentum Fen Conservation Group is fortunate to enjoy the support of the following public bodies and organisations:
South Downs National Park
Clausentum Fen regeneration has been guided and funded by the South Downs National Park team who visited our 5 acre site in February, linked us to a range of conservation managers and advisers and funded (Sustainable Communities Fund) £2,000 towards our 2017 streams, pond and wetland biodiversity boosting initiative. This process involved the removal of non native species that were restricting the growth of the biodiversity promoting native plant species. Now the site is much more open to sunlight and the stage is set for optimised fen regeneration by chalk streams through restored fen panes and channels. This means that within a few years the site will provide water crowfoot, reed, rush, sedge, wild grasses and wild flower habitats for native invertebrates and their exciting food chains containing lampreys, fish, amphibia, birds and small mammals.
Hampshire County Council.
The Council paid £25,000 for a 999 year lease of Clausentum Fen as a nature
conservation area, general woodland and meadowland, from PGC Construction
in 2003. Unfortunately, budgetary constraints have prevented them managing
the site as they would like and they have concentrated on Health and Safety
aspects, bridge maintenance, water control works, such as bank repair and
control of invasive species. The Council supports the formation of the
CFCG and has provided a £1,000 starter project grant .
The Hampshire County Council Countryside Services Rangers are supportive
and are currently undertaking tree works on the Fen bank of the Lockburn
stream, repairing breaches in the bank and helping to clear bamboo and
knotweed. They are advising on the Conservation Management Plan.
Winchester City Council
The Council supports the aims of CFCG and has refused planning permission
for building development on the Fen, turning down plans for a Garden Centre
in 1975. It contributed £10,000 to the purchase of the lease in 2003 and
may be able to help with supportive funding.
The Winchester City Council Community Grants Team have given us (August 2017) a Small Grant award of £500 towards our work removing unwanted tress. Thanks very much!
Winchester Round Table
Many thanks to Winchester Round Table who have made a generous donation of £2000 to support the work of the group. They are a very active and supportive organisation who in 2017 worked hard to raise over £70,000 for local charities and organisations, so we won't be the only ones to be very grateful for their help.
The Conservation Volunteers
TCV Representative Rachel Bryan is helping to draft the Conservation Management
Plan and advising the Group on basic training, constitution, insurance
etc. She will also lead our first Work Party clearing bamboo.
Hampshire Conservation Volunteers
Hugh Corry of HCV has shared his deep knowledge of the Fen, both its history
and the key factors affecting it, together with his vision for its future
conservation and sustainability. He drafted a conservation plan in 2001
and has now updated this for CFCG in 2017 and produced accompanying maps.
We are hugely grateful for his help and enthusiasm.